University appoints world's youngest professor

Key

Question 1
a) True. Korea's Konkuk University has announced that Ms Sabur, 19, will begin teaching physics next month at the Department of Advanced Technology Fusion. The appointment, which was made a few days short of her 19th birthday on 22 February
b) False. She plays Mozart, but loves U2. "I went to their Vertigo concert," she says on the phone from New York. "It was awesome."
c) False. Ms Sabur, a PhD candidate in materials science and engineering, is developing spectroscopy techniques "including nano-tube-based cellular probes" that could be used to zap tumours – a cure for cancer, in other words.
d) True. The Guinness announcement has sparked a deluge of e-mails from curious parents. "They want advice for their kids.

Question 2
a) Colin Maclaurin was a young Scotsman and taught maths at Aberdeen University from 1717.
b) Alia says that as a child, she was curious and that when she was little, her parents supported her in her dreams. She believes that her talent plus her surroundings contributed to her success.

Question 3
a) exploits b) (to) zap c) (to) spark/ sparked

Question 4
a) The announcement did not surprise very many people who knew Alia.
b) Alia said that her parents had encouraged her in anything she wanted to do and that they believed it was a gift from God.
c) Scottish mathematician Colin Maclaurin has been the world’s youngest professor for three centuries.